Clothes reel



Nov. 27 1923 J. COULTER CLOTHES REEL Filed Feb. 28, 1923 'Wh gem lllulllnl o unmnmc INVENTUR wgCw/m. (Am 1A Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,475,369 PATENT carr es.

WILLIAM J. oouLrEn, or TORONTO, onrnsio, CANADA.

. CLOTHES REEL.

Application filed February 28, 1923. Serial No. 621,723.

elevated position when the reel is full of clothes or lowered for the convenience of the user when clothes are to be hung or removed and my object is to devise a reel of this type which will be cheap, simple, easily operated and which may be almost en tirely made of wood, metal parts being reduced to a minimum and employed.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated .in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of my clothes reel showing the reel in its lowered position;

Fig. 2 a side elevation of part of the clothes reel showing the reel lifting lever in its locked position for holding the. reel in its raised position;

Fig. 3 a cross section of the device on a larger scale on the line 83 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 a cross section of the device on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 is a standard which is suitably supported on or in the ground. On this standard is guided the reel carrying support 2 so that it may be vertically moved thereon. .The standard and the reel support are of substantially equal widths and the guides 3, formed of band iron, are 'U-shaped' and have their free ends secured to the standard so that they pass around and engage the exposed sides of the support.

The reel comprises the spindle 4 on which are pivotally connected the laterally directed arms 5, each arm being braced by a link 6 having a pivotal connection with the spindle and an arm. Through each arm is formed a series of holes through which clothes lines (not shown) are carried.

Hitherto it has been the general custom to provide bearings of circular cross section in which the reel spindle is journalled and also axially movable which necessitated' the bearings being machined to prevent-wobbling of the spindle therein. To accomplish this without any machined bearings,

I form a longitudinal hole 7 in the upper end of the support'adapted to receive and permit rotation of the spindle 4 whichis formed of pipe. To prevent the upper end' 7 of the hol 7 from spreading, due to wear,

thus causing the spindle to wobble, I pass two bearing members 8, preferably formed as bolts, transverselythrough the support and on opposite sides of thehole 7 and substantially tangential to the spindle 4. At right angles to'thebearing members 8 another pair of bearing members. 9, formed as bolts, are passed transversely through the support 2, these members being also located at opposite sides of the hole 7 and substantially tangential to the spindle 4. It will be noted that these bearing members form in effect a bearing of square cross-section having a very small bearing surface thus permitting rough materials to be used. The support 2 is formed of wood and the bolts 8 and 9 forming the bearing members also prevent the support from splitting at its upper end. The holes for these bolts are countersunk at each side of the support so that the heads and nuts of the bolts do not project beyond the sides of the support.

To lower and raise the clothes carrying reel relative to the ground I provide the a lever 10 which is hinged on the standard 1. Intermediate the ends of this lever is secured one end of a flexible member 11, preferably rope, the other end of which is connected with the lower end of the reel support 2. Between the contacting faces of the standard 1 and the support 2 is formed a channel 13. This channel is formed by providing each of the contacting faces with a groove. In the standard is formed an opening 14 communicating with the channel and in which is journalled' a pulley 15, the flexible member being adapted to be passed through the channel and over the pulley 15.

To form a simple connection between the flexible member 11 and the reel carrying support 2 that is weather proof, I provide the support with a transverse hole 16 located adjacent the lower end thereof and commuend of the support is provided with a longitudinal hole 17 communicating with and otlarger diameter than the transverse hole 16 to form a shoulder 18. A knot tied in one end of the flexible member is adapted to engage this shoulder to raise and lower the support 2 and as the shoulder is formed in the upper end of the hole 17 the weather elements cannot reach the knot.

To reieasahly lock the lever 10 in position for holding the reel. in its raised position l provide the bail 19 having itg arms overlappingand pivoted on the sides of the standard 1. The lever is provided with a notch 20 adapted to engage the bail.

the standard and adapted to support clothes,

said support and standard contacting and having a longitudinal channel formed be tween their contacting faces, an opening being formed; through standard communicating with said channel; a flexible member secured to the upport and extending u through-the channel and out through the opening in the standard; a guide pulley for the flexible member located within said opening; a lever perrnanently hinged at one end on the standard, the flexible member being secured to said lever intermediate its ends, whereby the-swinging down 7 of. the lever will dra w on the flexible member to elevate thesupport; abail having its arms overlapping and pivoted on the sides 01 the standard, said lever having anotch formed therein w ith whiehsaid bail maybe engaged to retain the support in its elevated position. I I k a.

2. A. clothes reel constructed as set forth in elairnjl in whioh a transverse hole is formed adjacent the lower end o'f-the reel support and communicates with the channel, and the lower endv of the support is provided with a longitudinal hole communicating with the trans verse hole and of greater diameter v and in which the flexible member is provided with knotadapted to only pass through the larger hole.

Signed at Toronto, Canada, this 9th day of February, 1923.

WILLIAM J. comm-R. 

